Treatment

Related Information

Breast cancer is treated in several ways. It depends on the kind of breast cancer and how far it has spread. People with breast cancer often get more than one kind of treatment. If you receive a breast cancer diagnosis, a multidisciplinary team of professionals reviews your case and makes recommendations. This team meets regularly to discuss proactive care planning for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

Our doctors will help you understand the type of breast cancer you have and will explain your treatment options. They will explain the different types of procedures, discuss the associated risks and benefits, outline the anticipated recovery time required and describe how each option will affect your appearance. Our goal is to help you make an informed decision that is right for you and relative to the type of cancer you have.

Types of breast cancer treatment include:

Surgery is an operation where doctors cut out and remove cancer tissue. Surgeons are doctors that perform operations.

Chemotherapy uses special medicines, or drugs to shrink or kill the cancer. The drugs can be pills you take or medicines given directly into your veins, or sometimes both. Medical oncologists are doctors that treat cancers with medicines.

Hormonal therapy is used to block cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow.

Biological therapy works with your body's immune system to help it fight cancer or to control side effects from other cancer treatments. Biological therapy is different from chemotherapy, which attacks cancer cells directly.

Radiation is the use of high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to kill the cancer cells. The rays are aimed at the part of the body where the cancer is located. Radiation oncologists are doctors that treat cancers with radiation.